The Return of the Queen
by Isica
Summary: Why did Baal choose to bring back Anat now? Well, it wasn't a choice really. The thoughts of Baal and Anat's second-in-command. Prequel to 'The Consort of Baal.' Set in the Anat!verse. Rated 'T' for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**The Return of the Queen**

 **Author's Note:** Part of the Anat!verse and the Consort of Baal series. For the correct and up-to-date order in which to read them, please see my profile page.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Baal or any of Stargate. However, I do own Anat and Astarte.

/

Baal paced inside his private chambers. Outside, his lo'tar waited anxiously for his master's next orders.

How dare they? How dare the army rebel and demand the return of their queen? How dare they reject his substitute? The decision was not theirs to make! But it was, he realised. Ever since the troublesome Tau'ri had arrived he had had to work harder to keep the loyalty of his subjects.

Frustrated, he stopped pacing. He wanted a harem girl right now. Anat would have known that. Anat would already have one being prepared for him. She would have eschewed Tiamat, his current favourite, and selected one he could act his rougher fantasies on. Anat knew him like no other. And Astarte would never be able to replace that.

With a sigh he barked an order at Ashtet to fetch him a harem girl, specifying it not be Tiamat, then sat down and continued planning. He would put his plan concerning his clones and the co-ordinates of Merlin's weapon into action first, then he would start looking for a suitable host.

The door slid open and Ashtet returned with a girl he vaguely remembered as a harem girl. At least Anat's pathetic little sidekick knew her job and place there. She had gauged Ashtet's instructions and supplied an appropriate person for his mood.

Thinking about Astarte made him angry again. How dare his army refuse Astarte? And how dare that bitch refuse _him_? If it wasn't for the fact that Anat would rip him and every clone limb from symbiote when she found out, Astarte would be dead right now.

He thrust out his frustration on the harem girl, forgoing any words. When at last he was satisfied, he rolled off her and threw on a robe before telling her to leave. He watched dispassionately as she crawled to the door, bruises already forming on her face, neck and wrists, with cuts on her lips and traces of bite marks on her shoulders. She'd put up no resistance to him and was consequently nothing more than a vessel to vent his anger.

Anat would have resisted. Anat would have been fierce. She was his Warrior Goddess and she would have inflicted as much damage to him as he did her. This thought was immediately followed by the realisation that Astarte could never occupy his Queen's place.

It was strange how he could ignore her existence for fifteen years while she slept in stasis, but now she invaded all of his thoughts. If he had a heart, he would say he loved Anat. At a practical level, he needed her. Together they were formidable. And right now, he needed formidable.

 **BABABA**

Astarte had always maintained a more realistic assessment of herself than many of her kin. Many of her brothers and sisters perished in wars for dominance but she, despite being of the second great mass spawning, survived.

Unlike the others, Astarte was fully aware of her limits. She was not a spawning queen, so it was foolish to aspire to System Lord status with no ready supply in place. The male she took as her consort was ranked in a very low position among the Goa'uld hierarchy and she could not progress on his merits. Finally, she preferred to spend her days on other pleasures as opposed to warfare. Any territory she had would disappear.

But it was dangerous to wander the galaxy alone. So Astarte and her consort sought out a System Lord who would give them the banner of protection in return for service. To this day, Astarte was grateful she came upon Anat, who offered her all of it; at first with severe distrust, eventually becoming a deep respect on both sides. Even Anat's treaty of alliance with Baal did not lessen it.

But one day her consort was accused by Baal of betrayal and sentenced to death. Astarte, feelings emotions she'd never encountered before, begged on her knees before Anat to help her. And Anat, who trusted her, who did not trust the charges against the consort, spirited him away and faked his death to Baal. But it came at a cost to Astarte; Anat would hide the consort away and keep him safe but in return Astarte was bound to her for life, like a common lo'tar. She could never leave her service, or take her place or betray her for if she did, her consort would die. Swallowing her pride, Astarte agreed. She was effectively downgraded in status, although to Anat's credit, she never treated Astarte any differently. Astarte remained Anat's second in command over domestic affairs and managed many tasks.

When Baal and Anat allied, Astarte took control over the harem girls. She travelled all over the territories collecting girls for Baal and the occasional man for Anat, so much so that in many places she gained her own following. Temples to Astarte, goddess of love, were built on many worlds. Anat found it amusing, Baal found it curious. Astarte was simply content. She was alive and protected, her consort, although in hiding, was also alive and they met when Anat allowed. Astarte had worshippers, a modicum of power, personal assets and slaves and the respect of a System Lord.

Then, fifteen years ago Anat had been forcibly pushed into stasis after being poisoned. Astarte had long suspected that Anat was ready to emerge but was not given a suitable – or any – host. Certainly, parts of her army believed that. They had rebelled and demanded their Queen. In these uncertain times of the Jaffa Free Nation, Baal had had to listen. His compromise had been to come to Astarte and offer her the throne.

Secretly, although she would never admit it to anyone, the offer had awakened her primal thirst for power and she'd considered immediately accepting, regardless of the consequences. However, as Baal continued his speech, she was glad she hadn't.

He was offering her the throne, it was true, but it was literally that, a seat. She would be a vapid figurehead with no control. At this, she'd felt her eyes glow angrily. At least, even in the lesser role of harem and household mistress, she was all-powerful. The other thought that lurked in the background was her consort. If she accepted, there was no doubt that Anat's loyal assassin (and he would receive orders, whoever and wherever he was) would eliminate him. He would die and she would most likely forfeit her life as well. Anat's personal assassins were better trained than the Ashrak.

Pretending flattery, which even after all their years of knowing each other Baal still fell for, she had asked for time to consider. As soon as Baal had gone, Astarte checked to see when the next member of the personal guard would walk through the door. A few well-chosen words with the excitable but indiscreet harem girl assigned to him and Astarte had ensured the entire army would know by the following morning.

The next day, she had sat contemplating her options when the news reached the harem that the army was demanding Queen Anat "and no other substitute" from Baal. Astarte had exited the harem and made straight for the throne room. On her way there, she had realised she was relieved. It seemed that the decision had been made for her and it was one she was comfortable with.

Entering the throne room, she had made a bow behind the kneeling rows of Jaffa and the standing First Prime. Baal had looked up and opened his mouth but Astarte was quicker.

'My Lord,' she had said, her voice carrying across the room. 'I have considered your kind and generous offer. However I fear I cannot accept. Queen Anat is your rightful queen and I acknowledge her as my superior.'

 **BABABA**

He was still furious with Astarte for embarrassing him in front of Anat's army. She had clearly been allowed too much freedom under Anat's control and he should take steps to curb her before Anat's return. _If_ she returned.

With a smirk, he wondered what would happen if he called the army's bluff, refused to bring back Anat and allowed them to rebel. The smile faded from his face when he realised what he would lose with even half of her army leaving. The majority of their territories were nominally hers, while their conquered ones would decide on a world-to-world basis. In addition, he only held the rank of System Lord by virtue of Anat and the few survivors of the Replicator massacre would not hesitate to humble him and strip of the title. He would become was he was at the beginning of their partnership, perhaps even less.

Damn Anat! Damn her and her power, her warrior mind, her seductive smile she reserved only for him and damn her ridiculously loyal army. And most of all, damn Astarte, damn her all the way to Netu!

/

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Reviews please!

So, in case any of you have forgotten, the Ashrak is a trained assassin who killed Jolinar. They were supposed to be the best of the best.

 **Next chapter:** Baal's revenge on Astarte.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Return of the Queen**

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 **Disclaimer:** As before. Also, slight trigger warning. Nothing graphic, but implied.

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Chapter 2: Baal's Revenge

He did not immediately see how he could humiliate Astarte as she had humiliated him. He wanted to shame her to the ground, to have her beg at his feet. Because damn her, she was right. It was time to find a new host for Anat. But first, Astarte needed a lesson in submission.

He sat down, much to the relief of his lo'tar, who had resumed his post outside after removing the battered harem girl from Baal's chambers. If his master had stopped pacing, the lo'tar was content, because that was meant there was less chance the anger would be directed at him.

Baal smirked to himself as a truly evil plan began forming in his head. The woman refused to accept the highest position he could offer her? Then she should submit like all others.

With a bark Baal summoned his lo'tar into the room. 'Deliver this message in front of as many as possible,' he said. 'Lord Baal requires a harem girl. It is to be you, Astarte. Do not deviate from this message.'

Hiding his shock, the lo'tar bowed and sprinted from the room. All the way there, the slave prayed that the Lady Astarte was alone.

He was in luck. Lady Astarte was alone. She looked up as the nervous lo'tar entered for the second time in as many hours.

BABABA

'Lo'tar, what do you require?' she asked.

As the slave repeated his message Astarte felt her eyes glow. At first it was anger from the lack of honorific she was entitled to, but then the message penetrated and she felt the blood drain from her face.

Baal dared to summon her as he would a common harem girl! If he were a lesser god, she would kill him where he stood. But he was stronger than she and was the power until Anat returned so she must appease him. 'Lead the way, lo'tar,' she said in her most bored voice. 'Let us see what Baal wants.' If he could forget her honorifics, she could do the same. He was obviously summoning her to berate her for refusing the position of Queen.

The two of them walked to Baal's chambers. The lo'tar knocked and announced their arrival. 'Good luck,' he whispered somewhat disloyally as she walked in.

Baal was wrapped in an elegant robe and wore a gold diadem. On his hand was his ribbon device. Astarte began to feel nervous. She wished she'd thought to bring hers.

'Lady Astarte, ' Baal began to pace, apparently deep in thought. 'What am I to do with you? A Goa'uld who won't accept her master is of no use to me.'

'My Lord,' she said, 'Not only is Queen Anat my superior, but I am not a spawning queen. How would you procure symbiotes without her?'

'We have farms,' Baal growled.

'But you need her,' she said.

'Enough!' Baal snapped. 'We did not call you here to discuss the issue. On your knees.'

Puzzled, she did as she was asked. The kick aimed at her chest took her entirely off-guard and she flew backwards. She barely had time to stand up before Baal grabbed her and threw her on the bed.

Half stunned, even with her reflexes and strengths, Astarte did not have time to resist the neural drug that Baal administered through his ribbon device. It rendered her unable to move, but still able to feel everything.

Of the violation itself, she remembered nothing that wasn't hidden behind an orange haze. Thank Asherah she'd learned how to kel-nor-reem all that time ago. It protected her from the worst.

When she came out of the trance, Astarte was aware she was lying on the floor, her face mercifully hidden from the laughing Baal standing above her. A quick assessment of her injuries confirmed her suspicions. No outward damage, no cuts or bruises anywhere visible. Mostly internal injuries, easily fixed. She forced herself to steel her face and stood up in front of Baal. 'Is there anything else you require, my Lord?' she asked coolly.

The laughter disappeared from Baal's face as he glared at the harem mistress. 'You can go,' he said shortly.

Astarte went to pick up her shoes and put them on. As she was at the door, Baal suddenly spoke.

'Know this Astarte, my revenge isn't in hurting you, it's in the fact that you are humiliated. You will always remember how the price you paid for our Queen's return involved degrading yourself. And no matter how many temples they build to you, I will always think of you as nothing more than a jumped-up harem girl.'

Astarte stared at him. She felt furious and her eyes glowed. Before she had time to think about the consequences, she crossed the room in two strides and slapped the System Lord with all her might.

Baal's head snapped to the side and for a moment she wondered whether she'd broken his neck. However he turned back to her with a smirk and she suddenly remembered the accounts of the harem girls. He thrived on violence.

Baal brought his hand to his cheek, which was already turning red. 'Get out Astarte, ' he said calmly, then he added in the same breath, 'oh, and if you ever mention this little...interlude to Queen Anat, expect a one-way trip to our torture chamber. You'll be begging for death.'

BABABA

As the harem mistress left the room, Baal chuckled at the thought of a task well done, then sat at his desk. It was time to start the search for a host worthy of his Anat.

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 **FINIS**

Please Review! Any suggestions for a new Anat!verse story are welcomed too. If you want a sequel to this, tell me. ~ Isica


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